King Martiza of Salamos has fallen asleep when he suddenly becomes aware that something is moving in his room. To his astonishment he finds that it is Princess Veria who has come for his Coronation which is to take place the very next day. She, as her father has died, is now ruling the State of Kavolana which is a smaller Balkan country bordering on his. In a whisper she tells him that she has discovered a plot by her Prime Minister and his Cabinet to drug her so that she is found by them in his bed and then forced to marry her to save her reputation. The King realises that he has a bad reputation for pursuing beautiful women. But he has in fact no intention of getting married. He does, however, know that his Government has always wanted Kavolana to be joined to Salamos to make the two countries more significant together. It is more important now than at any other time because of the policy of the Russians who are infiltrating the Balkans and taking over every small Kingdom and Principality that they can. The King helps the Princess to escape from his bedroom in a very unconventional manner. Then he finds after his Coronation that he becomes involved in the difficulties of her country. They become friends as each of them realises that the other has no intention of marrying under any circumstances. The King is fully aware of the danger that their two countries are in. The Russians then think up a plot to marry Princess Veria to a Russian Prince and take over Kavolana that way. The King then turns to Queen Victoria for help as Great Britain is the only country that Russia has no wish to offend or fight. The King and the Princess save their countries, but they cannot save themselves from their own feelings. Finally, both the King and the Princess find happiness, which is all told in this unusual romance by BARBARA CARTLAND.
Barbara Cartland was the world’s most prolific novelist who wrote an amazing 723 books in her lifetime, of which no less than 644 were romantic novels with worldwide sales of over 1 billion copies and her books were translated into 36 different languages. As well as romantic novels, she wrote historical biographies, 6 autobiographies, theatrical plays and books of advice on life, love, vitamins and cookery. She wrote her first book at the age of 21 and it was called Jigsaw. It became an immediate bestseller and sold 100,000 copies in hardback in England and all over Europe in translation. Between the ages of 77 and 97 she increased her output and wrote an incredible 400 romances as the demand for her romances was so strong all over the world. She wrote her last book at the age of 97 and it was entitled perhaps prophetically The Way to Heaven. Her books have always been immensely popular in the United States where in 1976 her current books were at numbers 1 & 2 in the B. Dalton bestsellers list, a feat never achieved before or since by any author. Barbara Cartland became a legend in her own lifetime and will be best remembered for her wonderful romantic novels so loved by her millions of readers throughout the world, who have always collected her books to read again and again, especially when they feel miserable or depressed. Her books will always be treasured for their moral message, her pure and innocent heroines, her handsome and dashing heroes, her blissful happy endings and above all for her belief that the power of love is more important than anything else in everyone’s life.
